Bookcase support

ABSTRACT

A shelf support for a collapsible bookcase is disclosed. The shelf support is a stackable, invertible H-shaped vertical member which has first and second vertical posts and first and second cross bars interconnecting said posts. The vertical posts and cross bars define a slot in the member through which a shelf may be inserted and supported. The slot is preferably located away from the center of the vertical post so that by inverting the support member, shelves of different heights may be made. The vertical posts also have matable portions on the ends to allow for stacking of the support member for multiple shelving.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,861,327 Silson Jan. 21, 1975 BOOKCASE SUPPORT 3,606,506 9/1971 Ungaro 312/111 x [76] In entor: P. Kev n Susa 5641 wood ont 3,788,700 l/l974 Wartes 297/442 St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15217 Primary Exammer-Franc1s K. Zugel Flledl J y 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Parmelee, Miller, Welsh & 211 App]. No.1 382,894 Ktatz 52 US. Cl 108/91, 108/111, 211/148 [571 ABSTRACT [5 Int. A helf upport for a collapsible bookcasg is disclosed Field of Search 101, The shelf support is a stackable, invertible H-shaped 82/179, 119, 151, 181; 24 3; vertical member which has first and second vertical 312/108, 111 posts and first and second cross bars interconnecting said posts. The vertical posts and cross bars define a References Cited slot in the member through which a shelf may be in- UNITED STATES PATENTS serted and supported. The slot is preferably located 1,038,813 9 1912 Young 108/91 away from the Center of the vertical 190stso that 1252,816 1/1918 Kuelll 211/148 x verting the pp member, shelves of different 2,305,571 12/1942 Holabird 108/114 heights may be made. The vertical posts also have ma- 2,400,659 5/1946 St. Mars 182/119 table portions on the ends to allow for stacking of the 2.560957 7/195l Johnson 211/148 support membgr for multiple helving 3,467,433 9/1969 Lindau 297/442 3,570,418 3/1971 Gooding 297/440 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BOOKCASE SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is presently a demand for bookcases and shelving which are inexpensive, easy to erect or dismantle, and flexible as to shelf spacing and arrangement. Shelving has been developed which can be erected and arranged in almost unlimited variations of shelf length and height. However, such shelving does not meet the requirement of being inexpensive since it is made up of numerous parts, and since different parts must be manufactured for every different length or height of shelf desired. Further, the multiplicity of parts makes it difficult to erect and dismantle such bookcases.

The present invention provides shelving which can be varied in both shelf height and length, and which is extremely easy to erect and dismantle. Further, these advantages are obtained through the use of one manufactured part which can be used in various positions and combinations to allow for different length and height of shelving as desired. Since the parts are manufactured in one standard size and shape, such shelving is extremely inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The shelf support of the present invention is an H- shaped vertical support member which has first and second vertical posts and first and second cross bars interconnecting the posts. These cross bars form the center of the H, and are a predetermined distance apart with a space in between. The vertical posts each have a recess at the point between the cross bars so that the recesses and the space between the cross bars form a continuous slot. This slot is sized and shaped to accept a standardized shelf which is supported by the lower cross bar and by the vertical posts. To allow for variations in shelf spacing, the slot is located below the center of the vertical support member, so that when the support member is inverted, the slot is at a different height than it was in the original position. The ends of the vertical posts have matable portions which allow the support members to be stacked on top of each other. By stacking some of the support members in an inverted position and some in the original position, multiple shelving can be made with the shelves spaced at different distances from each other. Since the shelves can slide all the way through the support members, these members can be placed at any position on the shelf and the shelf length is therefore infinitely variable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a collapsible bookcase made from a plurality of the shelf supports of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the collapsible bookcase in FIG. 1 with one stack of support members shown in section.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the shelf supports of the present invention showing a shelf supported therein.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the matable portions at the ends of the vertical posts of the shelf support of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention can best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2 an H-shaped shelf support 2 is made up of a first vertical post 4, a second vertical post 6, a first cross bar 8 and a second cross bar 10. The first cross bar 8 and the second cross bar 10 divide the first vertical post 4 into a first section 4a and a second section 4b, and the second vertical post 6 into a first section 6a and a second section 6b. Recesses 12 are located in the first vertical post 4 and the second vertical post 6 between the points where the first cross bar 8 and the second cross bar 10 connect with these posts.,These recesses 12, together with the space between the first cross bar 8 and the second cross bar 10, form a continuous slot 14 extending from within the first vertical post 4 to within the second vertical post 6. A shelf 16, sized and shaped to fit the slot 14, passes through the slot 14 and is supported by the second cross bar 10, the first vertical post 4, and the second vertical post 6. The recesses 12 keep the weight of the shelf 16 from resting entirely on the second cross bar 10, and instead allow the weight to be distributed into the first vertical post 4 and the second vertical post 6.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vertical support member 2 is constructed so as to fit shelves of a standard available size and shape. For example, the slot 14 may be sized and shaped to accept a standard 1 X 12 inch board so that inexpensive shelves are readily available and can be cut to any desired length. The shelves 16 can also be manufactured to a particular size and shape to fit the slot 14 for particular purposes for which the shelving is to be used. Constructing the vertical support member 2 so as to fit 1 X 12 inch boards has the advantage of allowing for variations in shelf length and design. For example, shelf 16a is supported between two vertical support members 2a and 2b; shelf 16b is supported between three vertical support members 2c, 2d and 2e, and shelves and 16d each pass through one vertical support member 2f or 2h, and meet within and are supported by another vertical support member 23.

Preferably the slot 14 is not located at the center of the vertical support member 2. For example, first sections 4a and 6a may be 4 k inches long, and second sections 4b and 6b may be 6 inches long. In this way the first shelf 16 may be either 4 h or 6 inches from the floor, and additional shelves 16 may be placed at distances of 9, l0 l or 12 inches apart by inverting some of the vertical support members 2 from their original positions. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, if the above dimensions were used, shelf 16b would be about 6 inches from the floor, due to the length of second sections 4b and 6b. Shelf 16a would be about 9 inches above shelf 16b due to the combined shorter lengths of first sections 4a and 6a, and shelf 160 would be about 12 inches above shelf 16a due to the combined longer lengths of second sections 4b and 6b. lf greater distances are desired between shelves 16, extra vertical support members 2 may be stacked without shelves 16 inserted through them as shown by vertical support member 2a. In this way, shelf 16d would be about 21 inches above shelf 16b.

In order to allow the vertical support members 2 to be stacked securely and neatly, matable portions are located at the ends of the first vertical post 4 and the second vertical post 6 as shown in FIG. 4. A first matable portion 18 is located at the end of first section 4a of first vertical post 4 and an identical first matable portion 18 is located at the end of the second section 6b of second vertical post 6. Similarly, identical second matable portions 20 are located at the end of the first section 6a of the second vertical post 6 and at the end of the second section 4b of the first vertical post 4. Although various matable designs could be used, one particular embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, first matable portions 18 have protrusions on the front and back of the sections 4a and 6b on which they are located, and recesses on the sides of sections 4a and 6b. Second matable portions 20 have protrusions on the sides of sections 6a and 4 b on which they are located, and recesses on the front and back of sections 6a and 4b.

Thus if one vertical support member 22 is placed in the original position, a second vertical support member 2b can be stacked on top of vertical support member 2e by inverting vertical support member 2b and rotating it 180. If a higher shelf 16a is desired, vertical support member 2b may be placed on top of vertical support member 2e in the original position. Similarly, a third vertical support member 2h may be placed on vertical support member 2b in either the inverted position or the original position as shown. In this way the shelf placement previously discussed can be obtained.

It should be noted that when a vertical support member 2 is in the original position, the first cross bar 8 is the upper cross bar, and the second cross bar 10 is the lower cross bar. When the vertical support member 2 is inverted, first cross bar 8 is the lower cross bar, and second cross bar 10 is the upper cross bar. Either cross bar, together with the vertical posts, is capable of supporting the shelf 16, which will always rest on the lower cross bar.

I claim:

1. An invertible, stackable shelf support comprising:

an H-shaped vertical support member having a. first and second vertical posts of predetermined height, and upper and lower cross bars interconnecting said posts, said cross bars being a predetermined distance apart and defining a space therebetween, said vertical posts having recesses therein complementary with said space, said space and said recess forming a continuous slot at a predetermined height less than half the predetermined height of said vertical posts so that upon insertion of a shelf through said slot said shelf is supported by said lower cross bar and by said vertical posts; and b. first matable portions at the upper end of the first vertical post and the lower end of the second verticalpost, and second matable portions at the lower end of the first vertical post and the upper end of the second vertical post sized and shaped to fit first matable portions on a like support. 2. A collapsible bookcase comprising: a. a plurality of invertible, stackable H-shaped vertical support members having i. first and second vertical posts of predetermined height, and upper and lower cross bars interconnecting said posts, said cross bars being a predetermined distance apart and defining a space therebetween, said vertical posts having recesses therein complementary with said space, said space and said recess forming a continuous slot at a predetermined height less than half the predetermined height of said vertical posts so that upon insertion of a shelf through said slot said shelf is supported by said lower cross bar and by said vertical posts, and ii. first matable portions at the upper end of the first vertical post and the lower end of the second vertical post, and second matable portions at the lower end of the first vertical post and the upper end of the second vertical post sized and shaped to fit first matable portions on a like support; and b. at least one shelf sized and shaped to fit said slots in said vertical support members, and which extends into and is supported by at least two of said 

1. An invertible, stackable shelf support comprising: an H-shaped vertical support member having a. first and second vertical posts of predetermined height, and upper and lower cross bars interconnecting said posts, said cross bars being a predetermined distance apart and defining a space therebetween, said vertical posts having recesses therein complementary with said space, said space and said recess forming a continuous slot at a predetermined height less than half the predetermined height of said vertical posts so that upon insertion of a shelf through said slot said shelf is supported by said lower cross bar and by said vertical posts; and b. first matable portions at the upper end of the first vertical post and the lower end of the second vertical post, and second matable portions at the lower end of the first vertical post and the upper end of the second vertical post sized and shaped to fit first matable portions on a like support.
 2. A collapsible bookcase comprising: a. a plurality of invertible, stackable H-shaped vertical support members having i. first and second vertical posts of predetermined height, and upper and lower cross bars interconnecting said posts, said cross bars being a predetermined distance apart and defining a space therebetween, said vertical posts having recesses therein complementary with said space, said space and said recess forming a continuous slot at a predetermined height less than half the predetermined height of said vertical posts so that upon insertion of a shelf through said slot said shelf is supported by said lower cross bar and by said vertical posts, and ii. first matable portions at the upper end of the first vertical post and the lower end of the second vertical post, and second matable portions at the lower end of the first vertical post and the upper end of the second vertical post sized and shaped to fit first matable portions on a like support; and b. at least one shelf sized and shaped to fit said slots in said vertical support members, and which extends into and is supported by at least two of said vertical support members. 